We still don’t know if cannabis protects you from COVID

Another study has been published linking cannabis to protective effects against COVID-19, two weeks after similar but limited research indicated hemp could also ward off the virus. But again these results are preliminary and without evidence in living human subjects. They do not mean that smoking marijuana will protect you against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

A large team of researchers conducted experiments in human lung cells and live mice to see how different compounds in cannabis affected SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. They found that cannabidiol, the non-psychoactive compound also known as CBD, and one of its metabolites, 7-OH-CBD, appear to hinder infection. These compounds prevent the coronavirus from hijacking the host cell’s machinery, which it uses to replicate its genetic material. The new journal was published last week in Scientists progress.

Despite the hype, it’s still too early to tell if cannabis products could prevent COVID in living humans. No clinical trials have yet been performed, and results from laboratory models such as lung cell samples or mice do not necessarily translate to human hosts.

“Our results don’t say it will work in patients. Our findings argue for a clinical trial,” said University of Chicago biologist and lead author of the new study, Marsha Rosner. Reuters. And despite a statistical analysis that showed people with a CBD prescription tested positive for COVID-19 at lower rates than those without, that still doesn’t mean anything conclusive. Correlation is not causation – showing that these compounds have a real protective effect will require extensive experimentation with controls. “I know my message is not something people want to hear,” Rosner added.

These same caveats may also apply to a similar earlier study that said two natural hemp compounds, cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), can prevent coronaviruses from binding to cells. This news sparked jokes on late-night talk shows and many celebratory viral tweets about the benefits of smoking marijuana. But there is no evidence that these hemp compounds protect the human immune system, and they cannot be ingested while smoking.

[Related: No, smoking weed will not protect you against COVID-19]

Even the authors of the most recent study acknowledge that these results are preliminary and that turning to CBD products to prevent coronavirus infection is likely futile.

“We don’t want people to burn out randomly taking cannabinoids,” Rosner said. New statistics.

In their paper, the team pointed out that the COVID-blocking effects of CBD were strictly limited to “high-purity CBD” at high concentrations. Additionally, any inclusion of tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive compound in cannabis THC, counteracts any benefits that CBD can provide. This is another indication that smoking marijuana or consuming other CBD products is unlikely to help fight the infection.

These new studies come at a time when the Food and Drug Administration is struggling to control the booming cannabis market. CBD products have seen exponential growth in both supply and demand over the past few years. The FDA requires that all CBD products touting medical benefits must cite validated clinical trial data, but these regulations are difficult to enforce — many vendors circumvent this by marketing their products as dietary supplements.

“These kinds of studies are what these companies are looking for to promote their products — that’s the scary thing,” said Jeanette Contreras, director of health policy at the National Consumers League, which runs a campaign called Consumers for Safe CBD. New statistics. “It gives them more fuel to make false claims about their products.”

As with any potential medical remedy, the jury will be out until scientists conduct clinical trials, which Rosner is eager to see begin, she said in a declaration. “Especially as we see that the pandemic is still far from over – determining whether this generally safe, well-tolerated and non-psychoactive cannabinoid could have antiviral effects against COVID-19 is of critical importance.”

Rosner added that while CBD provides people with protective benefits, it’s not a substitute for boosting your immune system with vaccinations or taking proper precautionary measures. She said VICE: “What we don’t want…is people running out and thinking, ‘I can take CBD, and then I don’t need to get vaccinated or I don’t need to’ to be masked… That’s what we really don’t want”. want to see.”